A stocky six-foot-one, switching to linebacker seemed to always be in the cards for the Cobra, but he said he's excited by the plan FIU laid out for him.

Cheren will start as a defensive back, with the goal of making a full-time switch to linebacker by his junior season, when he'll be expected to weigh in at 225 pounds. That's 30 pounds heavier than his current listed weight.

Cheren is FIU's ninth commitment for the class of 2014. He chose FIU over offers from Appalachian State, FAU and Tennessee State. Cheren is unranked by the major recruiting websites, but he was rated a three-star prospect by the Sun Sentinel (No. 3 defensive back in Palm Beach County — No. 16 overall.)